Dr. David Alter and [Unk] Rowley

---

---

Husband Dr. David Alter ^{1 2 3}

---

           Born: 3 Dec 1807 - Westmoreland Co, PA 4
     Christened: 
           Died: 18 Sep 1881 - Freeport, Armstrong Co, PA 4
         Buried: 

---

         Father: John Alter (1771-      ) 3 5
         Mother: Helenor Sheets (      -      ) 5

---

       Marriage: 

---

   Other Spouse: Anna Rowley (      -      ) 2

---

• Biographical Sketch: George Dallas Albert, History of the County of Westmoreland, Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, PA: L. H. Everts & Co., 1882).
To read this brief biographical sketch of his life and career, click here.

---

---

Wife [Unk] Rowley ²

---

           Born: 
     Christened: 
           Died: 
         Buried: 

---

         Father: [Father] Rowley (      -      )
         Mother: 

---

---

Children

---

---

General Notes: Husband - Dr. David Alter

---

He ran his doctor's buggy by electricity as early as 1836. At that time, too, he had a complete telegraphic system running about his farm by which the family talked from one end of the farm to the other. This was eight years before the Morse telegraph. Some remarkable articles upon the future of electricity were published by him in various magazines of that day.
The great achievement of Dr. Alter, however, was the discovery of the Spectrum Analysis, one of the most valuable contributions ever made to science. In the "American Journal of Science and Art" of 1854, Dr. Alter explained his theory of the Spectrum Analysis. Many other lesser inventions owe their beginnings to his conscientious efforts.
Dr. Alter's fellow-citizens of Freeport, Pennsylvania, raised a granite monument in his honor on which they inscribed the following tribute:
DR. DAVID ALTER
Christian
Inventor of Telegraphy
Physician
Scientist
Friend

1 George Dallas Albert, History of the County of Westmoreland, Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, PA: L. H. Everts & Co., 1882), Pg 357.

2 Fenwick Y. Hedley, Old and New Westmoreland, Vols. III & IV (New York, NY: The American Historical Society, Inc., 1918), Pg 1079.

3 George P. Donehoo, Pennsylvania - A History (SW) (New York, NY; Chicago, IL: Lewis Historical Publishing Company, Inc., 1926), Pg 188.

4 George Dallas Albert, History of the County of Westmoreland, Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, PA: L. H. Everts & Co., 1882), Pg 358.

5 John W. Jordan, History of Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, Genealogical Memoirs, Vol. II (Chicago, IL: The Lewis Publishing Company, 1906), Pg 489.